Zena Shapter

What an amazing line up of authors at Freshwater Campus on Friday, all sharing their real-world knowledge of creativity and storytelling. It was a pleasure to be among them!

#autralianauthors #booktok #inspiring #youngwriters

Can’t wait for my 1st festival appearance of the year, at the vibrant & innovative @freshwaterseniorcampus, where I’ll be sharing a lifetime of creative writing experience, skills and joy! #bringonfriday #readmore #books

zenashapter.com = perfect for lovers of escapist thrills and immersive worlds

Insightful Author Accurately Compares Bushwalking to Storytelling! In Australia, bushwalking can often resemble storytelling, so much so I recently made a short video about it, which has gone viral! Only kidding, it's merely been well-received enough across all my social media platforms that I thought I'd share it with you here! You see, as I say in the video, we authors are very much like bushwalkers in that we have to draw our readers along the exciting trails we want them to follow, inciting their curiosity with glimpses of what’s to come.

Insightful Author Accurately Compares Bushwalking to Storytelling!

In Australia, bushwalking can often resemble storytelling, so much so I recently made a short video about it, which has gone viral! Only kidding, it's merely been well-received enough across all my social media platforms that I…

Let me know how you go with WDRH! 🐜🐜🐜

Absolutely! The next book in the Palude series, plus something for my US agent 😁😁😁

Complete Bibliography Jump to: Novels Short Fiction Non-Fiction Poetry Novels When Dark Worlds Rise (MidnightSun Publishing, coming soon) – YA Novel – Science Fantasy, OUT SOON! When Dark Waters Burn (MidnightSun Publis…

Hi Bee, thanks so much for asking… if the sound of a speculative thriller set in Iceland appeals, start with ‘Towards White’. If you’re happy to go on an off-planet adventure, then try ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’: zenashapter.com/bibliography/

Author compares the #australianbush to storytelling and it’s pretty accurate!

Want to read some of my work? zenashapter.com = perfect for lovers of escapist thrills and immersive worlds.

#writingcommunity #FYP #sciencefantasy #australianauthor #scifibooks #DarkFantasyReads #adventurestories

Painting looking at a rocky outcrop in a green sea under a sky filled with the Northern lights

Anna Boberg(1864-1935), Swedish artist who spent much time painting in Northern Norway, where she had a cabin and lived alone #WomensArt

A bit of a rainy start to the year, but can’t complain when there are views like this to enjoy! #lovenature #inspiringstories #australianauthor #fyp #authorslife #2026ready

Want to read some of my work? zenashapter.com =perfect for lovers of escapist thrills and immersive worlds inspired by nature!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Want to read some of my work? zenashapter.com

#sciencefantasy #FYP #writingcommunity #booktok #DarkFantasyReads

Happy Holidays, everyone! Over on my blog, I’ve just listed out a bunch of recent podcast and YouTube interviews with me, giving insights into my creative life and experiences - check it out!

zenashapter.com/blog/intervi...

#sciencefantasy #FYP #writingcommunity #scifibooks #darkfantasybooks

Interview Insights Into Creativity Over dinner last Saturday night, I was talking with a friend about the creative life. Although we’ve known each other for fifteen years, she hasn’t been particularly interested in the topic until now, given she works in government and her husband’s an engineer – they just don’t walk in those circles. And it can be hard to appreciate, or even envisage, a lifestyle that’s so very different from your own, without a point of reference.

Interview Insights Into Creativity

Over dinner last Saturday night, I was talking with a friend about the creative life. Although we’ve known each other for fifteen years, she hasn’t been particularly interested in the topic until now, given she works in government and her husband’s an engineer –…

I have a distraction this morning!

Natural distractions are the best! #amwriting #sciencefantasy #sciencefiction #darkfantasy #fyp

Out today and FREE to read in @horror_tree!

‘Feast’ by Zena Shapter, a haunting drabble of a ship’s figurehead watching what the sea truly devours...

Sink into the shadows here:
horrortree.com/trembling-wi...

#HorrorCommunity #HorrorFiction #shorthorror #FYP

(Bake at 160C for fan-forced oven)

Today I’m making #gingerbread!

• 180g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup golden syrup
= beat
• 1 egg
= beat
• 3½ cups plain flour
• 1½ tbs ground ginger
• 1½ tsp bicarb soda
= sift on top
• 2tbs milk
= combine then knead
= chill for 30min
= roll, cut, bake for 8min

Great news! I just WON the Australasian Horror Writers Association short story competition with my story ‘The Museum of Disease’! Woo hoo!

#horrorstories #fyp #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WritersLife

YouTube video by Zena Shapter Author Signing Gets Surprise Visitors

Author signing gets surprise visitors!

youtube.com/shorts/89tV9...

‘Demonic’ Wind in the Willows jumper banned from Westminster Abbey Woman told to remove or cover up garment featuring 1908 illustration of Pan lest it offend worshippers

Pan still up to his old tricks creating panic via the medium of a @helleborezine.bsky.social jumper

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Ditto.

The Book Cow’s impressive streetscape certainly moootivates readers - there’s only one copy left of my book on the shelves – pop down and claim it!
zenashapter.com = perfect for lovers of escapist thrills and immersive worlds.
#FYP #writingcommunity #australianauthor #scifibooks #DarkFantasyReads

Went to the cemetery with a friend to check out some old time ancestor but he got angrier and angrier when he couldn't find it, kicking headstones and all, even though he swore he'd visited before.
He completely lost the plot.

Join me for books and author chats on Saturday 29 November at Berkelouw Books in Balgowlah. Can’t wait!
#christmaslist #readinglist #localauthors #northernbeaches #YAReads

Step into Harry Hartog at the ANU - so light and bright, two levels high, with wondrous imaginative décor that makes you want to sit and read before you buy!
zenashapter.com = perfect for lovers of escapist thrills and immersive worlds.
#sciencefiction #FYP #writingcommunity #signedbooks #scifibooks

Wow, thank you so much @goodreadingmag for publishing this wonderful review! I’m super honoured to receive 4.5 stars from the amazing Finn!
I hope other readers find their way to my work, perfect for lovers of escapist thrills & immersive worlds!
#sciencefantasy #FYP #writingcommunity #scifibooks

Have a spookily good day!
#spooky #halloween greetings to you all! Now go read a book!
Preferably one of mine! -> zenashapter.com
#BookTok #FYP #writingcommunity

Paperchain in Manuka is beyond welcoming! I popped in to sign some copies of ‘When Dark Waters Burn’, and had such a grand table for the honour!
zenashapter.com = perfect for lovers of escapist thrills & immersive worlds. #sciencefantasy #FYP #writingcommunity #australianauthor #scifibooks #loveozya

Halloween decoration (plastic skeleton forearm and hand) stuck in the ground next to a sidewalk. The fingers on the hand are in the ‘okay’ position.

How life’s going

#Walk #Halloween

Did you know that each of my novels come with free reading notes, which you can download right now?

zenashapter.com

#sciencefantasy #australianauthor #loveozya #bookclub #readingismagic #adventurestories #youngadultfiction #teenfiction #lovebooks #teachersnotes #bookclubdiscussion

Book Club & Teachers’ Notes for Novels! Did you know that each of my novels come with free reading notes – Book Club Notes and/or Teachers’ Notes – which you can download right now? They include all kinds of valuable insights into characters, settings, authorial purpose, key themes, social issues, beliefs and cultural explorations, relationship & family deliberations, as well as discussion questions and personal reflections to keep the adventure going, long after you’ve finished reading!

A blog about writing reading notes, and the insight it gives me as an author.